Energy Minister Bogdan Ivan stated during the Nuclear Energy Summit in Paris that Romania aims to significantly increase its nuclear energy production over the next decade, with plans to nearly triple installed capacity.
The Minister highlighted Romania’s six-decade experience in nuclear power generation, pointing to the strong performance of Cernavoda nuclear power plant units 1 and 2, which in 2025 achieved top global rankings, with an average capacity factor exceeding 92%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
He noted that Romania faces the dual challenge of rising electricity demand and the need to reduce carbon emissions, while maintaining system stability. In this context, nuclear power is described as one of the few technologies capable of providing large volumes of reliable low-emission electricity continuously.
Currently, nuclear energy contributes roughly 20% of Romania’s electricity consumption. Expanding this capacity is expected to strengthen the resilience of the national grid and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
To achieve these objectives, Romania is advancing several major nuclear projects at NPP Cernavoda, including the refurbishment of unit 1 and the construction of units 3 and 4 using CANDU reactor technology.
Another key part of Romania’s nuclear strategy is the development of small modular reactors (SMRs). The country is working on Europe’s first SMR project in Doicesti, which recently moved forward after Nuclearelectrica shareholders approved the final investment decision. The state-owned company, 82.5% government-owned, will now proceed with the next phase of the SMR project.
This stage of development requires approximately $600 million in funding, while the total estimated cost of the SMR project is around $4.9 billion, with a potential variation of 20–30% depending on construction conditions and technical requirements.
